Boiler-cleaning compound.



JACOB R. GREENE, JR, WASHINGTON, DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

AND ONE-THIRD TO JOHN AND ONE-SIXTH TO CHARLES VANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7

OF ONE-SIXTH TO EUGENE VEZIE WINSOR, OF WASHINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA,

R.- BALLARD, OF MIDWAY, PENNSYL- BOILER-CLEANING COMPOUND.

Patented. June 26, 1906 Application filed June 8,1905. Serial No. 264,360. I

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB R,- GREENE, Jr., a resident of Washington, in the county of Washington and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Boiler-Cleansing Compounds; and I do here'- by declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

This invention relates to a compound or composition for removing and preventing incrustations in steam-boilers and the like.

It is well known that the water in many portions of the country contains minerals and other im urities in solution or suspension and which become preci itated or deposited on the heated surface of the flues or watertubes of boilers. In many cases these incrustations become so thick as to seriously aflect the steaming qualities of the boiler. These incrustations practically form heatinsulating coatings on the flues or tubes.

. vegetables or herbs,

: probably an When the incrustations have been once formed, they are difficult of removal, bein of a hard stony composition and if allowe to accumulate sometimes become of abnormal thickness. Many attempts have been made to prevent these difficulties, such as by purifying the Water prior to introducing it to the boiler or by treating the boiler with acids or alkalies accordin to the character of water used. None of tfiese schemes, so far as I am aware, has been entirely successful. I have discovered that these incrustations can be entirely 1prevented or, if formed, can be removed y the solvent pro erties of the iuices of various vegetables. frdinary coffee, 'or instance, contains an active element which will efiectively prevent the formation of any incrustation, no matter how im ure the water may be, or if once formed wi 1 remove the same. I believe the active ingredient performing this function is the caffein of the coffee, and substantially a similar active ingredient is the thein of tea, and similar ingredients are also found in several other such as the guaranin of the alkaloid of [16:10PM- The active property of these is alkaloid; but as to this there may be differences of opinion. All of these I consider to be the equivalent of'the active property of coffee and to be included in the Paul'imla sorbilis and agmmenses.

claims under the term coffee. .I have discovered, however, that the active ingredi- ,ents of these vegetable matters will effectively remove or prevent the formation of the incrustations. In order to some extent to neutralize the acids found in the water of many localities, I prefer to use also small quantities of other vegetables, such as the ordinary balsam-weed or sweet balsam (Gnaphalium decurrens and Gnaphal'ium polycephelon) or yarrow, (Achilleo-mtllifalium) both native in the eastern part of the United States, or both. With both of these herbs all parts of the plant canbe used, stem, leaves, flowers, and fruit, the active ingredient thereof being contained in the juices. These several vegetable matters can be used tions; but I prefer to use substantially ten pounds of coffee, one ounce of balsam, and one ounce of yarrow. The coffee will be used, preferably, in the unro asted form+that is, the green bean. All of these ingredients will be crushed or pulverized and can either be .boiled and the liquor therefrom introduced intothe boiler to be the composition will bag, whichin turn may be surrounded by metallic screening and then introduced into the boiler, where it will remain and the active ingredients be boiled out of the same. By keepin the composition in a mass the active ingre ients will be leached out slowly, so that the efficiency of the com osition will extend through a considerab e period. The de ree of fineness of the several ingredients wil depend upon the conditions to be met. For instance if a boiler is very much incrusted it is preferable to have the in redients quite fine, so that the active princi es thereof will be more quickly diffused whereas, with a new boiler or one which has been cleaned it is desirable to have the material'in a coarser form, so that the active ingredients thereof will not be diffused so rapidly. In order to clean an incrusted boiler, the compocleaned; but preferably in various propor- PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY

be inclosed in a cloth sition will have to be renewed at short intervals, whereas with a clean or a newboiler it will suffice if introduced at intervals of about one month.

In order to some extent prevent the formation of an incrustation on a new or clean boiler,

I prefer to introduce into the same a v small quantity of graphite, which will form a smooth thin coating on the surface of the tubes or fiues. This graphite can be conveniently introduced in powdered form with the remainder of the composition. I find that one ounce of graphite added to the proportions of ingredients a'bove given answers the purpose. The effect is that the boiler fiues or tubes are kept clean from incrustation and have a smooth coating of graphite on the surface thereof, so that the ready deposit of further incrustation is prevented.

What I claim is 1. A composition for preventing and removing incrustations in boilers, having coffee as its principal ingredient, and also containing balsam-weed. 

